Timeform Greyhound SmartPlays: Escomb Maynot has solid claims at Sunderland

We head to Newcastle for our first selection at 16:23 and, having dropped a big hint she's ready to strike of late, HIGHVIEW FREDA (Trap 4) looks to hold sound claims of getting the job done. Coming from a most unpromising position when narrowly failing to reel in an unexposed youngster eight days ago. However, her cause was hindered by a hefty first-bend bump on that occasion and, capable of breaking swifter than she did then, we're hopeful she's up with the early speed from lid rise, can seize the lead off the second bend and maintain the gallop to deservedly resume winning ways.

We head to Sunderland for our final two selections this evening, kicking off with BESSIE MATES (Trap 5) at 18:19. A bitch in good order following a spell on the side-lines, she went down by an ever-diminishing neck behind re-opposing trailblazer Autumn Joshua (Trap 4) when the pair met eight days ago. However, the latter faces serious competition for the early lead to his inside on this occasion which could result in a pace burn up on the front-end and, if escaping any traffic problems around the opening bends, Bessie Mates can be expected to be coming home strongly to pick up the leaders off the final bend.

The 18:51 contest features our final selection and, despite only recently back on the comeback trail, ESCOMB MAYNOT (Trap 4) looks to hold solid claims of taking a step forward on recent exploits and coming out on top. Quick to climb up the graded ladder during the first half of this year, he's clearly had issues to essentially miss the summer. However, his useful early pace doesn't seem to have been affected by the enforced layoff and, with fitness building all the time, we're hopeful the son of Ballymac Best can trap smartly and make a bold bid from the front to enhance his already impressive Sunderland strike rate.